Stars of mid-'60s slip away

In the past month or so, two of the top offensive players in the 1964 revival of Notre Dame football, have died in their early 60s, just after celebrating the 40th anniversary of their great seasons. Star receiver Jack Snow and durable halfback Bill Wolski left great memories for the Notre Dame faithful. Strangely enough, they both suffered unusual and almost similar medical problems. Snow was afflicted by a staph infection that seemed to settle in an artificial hip and did not respond to treatment. Wolski developed a melanoma after treatment for a finger infection. One of the first of the mid-1960s stars to pass on was Richard Arrington, the tough two-way player who also was a top wrestler when it was a varsity sport. Arrington apparently died of a massive heart attack shortly after shoveling snow. Nearly two years ago, Mike Wadsworth, the Canadian-born defensive lineman who returned to Notre Dame to succeed Dick Rosenthal as athletic director. Wadsworth died in April of 2004 after a long battle with cancer, despite having received a kidney from his wife Bernadette in a rare transplant. Star offensive tackle Paul Seiler, the No. 1 draft choice of the New York Jets after the 1966 season, played six seasons in the NFL finishing with Oakland in 1973. He passed away several years ago at a young age. Two other players from the same era are battling serious illnesses. Pete Duranko, a top flight defensive tackle who went on to star with the Denver Broncos, is suffering from the Lou Gehrig's disease at his home in Johnstown, Pa. Duranko is unable to speak clearly but has turned to e-mail as his chief means of communication. Tom Regner, a two-way performer at guard and linebacker, went on to play professionally for six seasons with Houston, is recovering from a severe illness in his new home of Reno, Nev. About two dozen players from the national championship team of 1966 were honored Friday evening in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the surviving members of the team officially will reunite on campus during the Purdue football game Sept. 30. Four on ballot: Members of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame have received their official ballots for 2006. The ballot includes four Notre Dame players -- Bob Golic, Terry Hanratty, Jim Seymour and Chris Zorich. Also on the ballot are Mark Herrmann, Otis Armstrong and Mike Phipps of Purdue; Tom Nowatzke and Anthony Thompson of Indiana; Kirk Gibson of Michigan State; and Michigan players, Don Dufek, Rob Lytle, Dave Gallagher, and Dave Brown. Two Division 1-A coaches will be selected among John Cooper (193-83-6) from three schools ending at Ohio State; Darryl Rogers (129-84-7) from five teams including Michigan State, and Wayne Hardin (118-74-5) of Navy and Temple, Dick MacPherson of Syracuse and Herb Deromedi, who had a .657 winning percentage at Central Michigan. The Honors Court makes the final selections and the winners will be inducted next December at the NFF's annual dinner in New York, followed by enshrinement in South Bend. Email Joe Doyle at Doyleinc@sbcglobal. net